SHIPPING CARS WITH PROFESSIONALS? IT'S AN ADVANTAGE

In our last article, we didn't talk about how shipping cars. In fact, the year 2023 was inaugurated by the post dedicated to the transfer of vehicles and bulky objects, that’s to say those objects that require the organization of exceptional transport.

However, in this article we remain on the ordinary, but without making the mistake of cradling ourselves on the tranquility inspired by this adjective. Even if with a few less rules and limits to respect, shipping cars is not, in fact, a completely simple operation to carry out.

Our mission is making life easier for those who need this service. And, above all, to do it for each step of the process. In the case of car transport, the customer's adventure begins well before the actual departure of the vehicle. The first choice to be made concerns, in fact, the identity of the person who will physically have to take care of the transport.

There are two alternatives. It is possible that the owner drives the vehicle to be shipped. Or, again, that he decides to entrust the shipment to a professional haulier.

In other words, when shipping cars, there is a choice between autonomous transport with a trolley and transport with a car transporter. We have already talked about it in the article dedicated to the advantages and possible risks associated with the two road car transport options.

Today we return to the subject, but trying to put people at the center, rather than the technical and bureaucratic aspects. In fact, the experience and training of the driver also influence the greater reliability of one option compared to the other. Let's see how.

SHIPPING CARS. THE TWO MAIN POSSIBILITIES

The purchase and subsequent maintenance of a vehicle often require sacrifices, both in terms of money and time. If you need to transport it from one place to another, it is, for this reason, natural to fear that the vehicle may be damaged during the journey. Or, at worst, destroyed. It is, therefore, understandable that the first impulse is to buy or rent an appendix trolley and to plan the departure in total autonomy.

Last time we illustrated the factors that make this solution rather inconvenient and expensive, with particular attention to the regulatory and economic aspect (such as complexity of the legislation, costs for refueling, tolls and purchase of the trolley, etc.). Today, as proof of the same conclusion, we focus on the main training gaps that could make the journey even dangerous for those who are not professional hauliers.

Shipping cars is certainly not an everyday activity. There are at least four heavy bags in the trunk of those who are far from traveling many kilometers every day and for work:

• Inexperience in loading and unloading operations. Even if not comparable to those of an exceptional load, the dimensions and weight of a car remain significant. In thirty years, the average weight of a car has gone from 870 to 1238 kg. The average width from 155 to 183 cm. Managing the movement from the vehicle to the mainland is, for this reason, the first major obstacle for those who improvise a road haulier.
• Absence of specific skills. Like any event or situation, even car transport is not usually free from unexpected events. Non-experts may not be able to handle them, because they are not trained in maintenance practices and in identifying the causes of any operating errors.
• Lack of or incomplete knowledge of legislation. Even the learning of the latter is part of the skills required of the professional haulier. It is hard to believe that those who usually undertake 'ordinary' journeys can come to have, on their own and in a short time, an impeccable and useful knowledge of them to avoid sanctions. Web searches are not always enough!
• Psychophysical predisposition. The process for obtaining any type of driving license includes a health check phase. The psychophysical requirements, however, change for the higher range of A and B licenses. Therefore, it is possible that those in possession of the license to drive ordinary cars are not suitable for carrying out a clearly more delicate transport.

It is clear, therefore, that when it comes to shipping cars, fear and thoughtfulness alone are not enough.

Whether the vehicle in question is a luxury car or an old car that you are particularly fond of, it doesn't matter. All vehicles can be damaged.

To drastically reduce the risks, when shipping cars, the driver must be an expert.

Transport with a car transporter certainly gives some more guarantees. Before constructing the identikit of the experienced haulier, let's examine what distinguishes him from the point of view of the equipment used and driving licenses.

Delegate experts. Car transporter transport

Statistics tell us that, in Italy, there are over fifteen thousand companies operating in the freight transport sector. 93% are small and micro enterprises.

For car transport, the alternative to buying or renting a trolley is to send a request to a company. It is often possible to do this through a special section of company websites, which provides the interested user with the main fields to fill in when requesting a quote (for exaample vehicles to be transported, vehicle conditions, model and brand, etc.).

Regardless of size and profit, all companies use a specific freight wagon, the car transporter, to ship cars. So, this is the first, important difference with the modus operandi of non-experts: the use of a type of equipment created ad hoc. A definition that, undoubtedly, is surrounded by a certain aura of security.

The existence of a specific means of transporting vehicles naturally implies that of particular requirements for driving it. Hence the need for companies to make use of qualified personnel: the hauliers.

Specifically, by law, the haulier must be in possession of:

• Driving license C (other than the B). This type of license allows you to drive trucks and vehicles used for the transport of goods (with a total weight with a full load greater than 3,5 tons). It is valid for 5 years and can be obtained from 21 years of age. The parameters evaluated for its achievement include visual acuity, hearing integrity, the absence of disabling changes to the limbs and reaction times to specific types of stimuli. For this reason, the C license is already a first guarantee of psychophysical integrity.
• CQC Goods. The acronym stands for Driver Qualification Card. It is a title that allows you to carry out professional activities related to road haulage (in this case of goods). It has been compulsory since 2009 and can be achieved by passing an aptitude exam after 280 (or 140, in the case of accelerated training) course hours. To obtain renewal, however, it is necessary to attend 35-hour training course every five years. The topics covered include, for example, loading and unloading of goods, regulatory requirements and hazards. It is therefore clear that possession of the CQC is proof of the acquisition and constant updating of knowledge and skills in the sector.

C and CQC driving licenses therefore certify, in hauliers, the absence of those gaps that can compromise the success of the shipment and the state of safety of things and people.

As already done with non-experts, the time has come to examine in more detail the experience, skills and psychophysical predisposition. In short, to outline the identikit of the haulier.

RELY ON PROFESSIONALS TO SHIP CARS: WHY CHOOSE A TRANSPORT COMPANY

The WeCanJob portal, which deals with guidance for school and for work, provides a vast professional repertoire. This consists of a list of professions (artisanal, intellectual, manual and digital), and the characteristics and skills necessary to carry them out. All of this is integrated with information relating to qualifying pathways, training courses, average salaries and market demand trends.

The trucking profession is no exception. The dedicated page provides a rather complete picture of the figure in question.

To make a direct comparison with “common mortals”, we have selected a series of useful information to bring out the main differences.

Let's start with those relating to experience and skills. The figure of the haulier:

• He is capable of handling loading and unloading operations. As anticipated, this skill is usually learned in the course for the achievement of the CQC. Added to this is the experience gained over the years of service, which makes the haulier able to handle even complicated situations. This capacity includes, for example, that of hooking the swap bodies to the tractor and checking the state of the load throughout the journey.
• Has maintenance skills. These are included in the training course programmes, as the haulier is required to carry out ordinary and extraordinary checks on equipment, systems and devices. The fact that he is prepared does not completely avoid the danger of technical problems, but it considerably reduces their frequency.
• He can determine the causes of operating errors. In cases where maintenance is not enough, the expert still has an “ace in the hole”. The training required for the profession makes him, in fact, also able to identify any problems relating to fuel and oil tanks. These are constantly monitored, together with the state of the filters and tires. Unlike car drivers, the haulier will always be able to replace a tire and supply the missing resources.
• He knows the legislation. To obtain the CQC, web searches are not enough. It is no coincidence that the training course programs also include the regulatory provisions. The haulier has far from superficial knowledge of it, which allows him to guarantee (both to the company and to the customer) compliance with complex and sometimes ambiguous rules. Adjectives, these, sometimes also applicable to the route to be taken: therefore, the ability to interpret road maps and to study the assigned itineraries is also particularly useful, so as to minimize the presence of obstacles (for example construction sites, blocked roads, etc.).

As regards the psychophysical predisposition, the type of work to be carried out obliges the haulier to have (or to keep in constant exercise) the following qualities:

• Fast reaction times. Possession of driving license C certifies the presence of sufficiently rapid and regular reaction times (to simple and complex, luminous and acoustic stimuli). Specifically, they must be able to be classified at least in the fourth decile of the decile scale of classification. Having adequate reaction times means being able to react immediately to a dangerous situation.
• Ability to maintain attention. According to the 2019 ISTAT statistics relating to Italian road haulage, the average distance traveled by road in Italy is 158 km. In certain regions (for example Calabria), the average rises to 256 km. In all cases, this is certainly a greater distance than that traveled on routine trips. For this reason, the attention normally required of drivers of any type of vehicle is, for the haulier, increased a hundredfold. Having the ability to concentrate for a long time has a positive effect on reaction times and, consequently, significantly reduces the risk of accidents.
• Good eyesight and sensitive hearing. The optimal condition of both senses is, without a doubt, a fundamental prerequisite for obtaining any type of driving licence. However, the haulier is required to set the maximum values for the parameters in question:
  • Sight: It is necessary that visual acuity is equal to at least 14/10 overall and that the eye that sees less has no less than 5/10 (for holders of lower category licenses the values are reduced to 10/10 and 2/10).
  • Hearing: The hauler must be able to perceive, from each ear, a voice at a distance of at least 8 meters (for lower category licenses holders the value is reduced to 2).
• Precision and organization. Even if not officially “measured”, these two qualities are, in a certain sense, the presupposition and consequence of all the others. If the haulier is not a precise and organized person, it will be difficult for him to be predisposed to complete the training course necessary for the profession. At the same time, it is the process that the law provides for him to consolidate these two qualities which, once he has obtained the qualification for the profession, become even more indispensable.

In short, shipping cars with professionals is definitely an advantage. And it is from many points of view.

Professionalism is a guarantee of safety and competence

At this point, let's try to imagine an alternative ending.

The story is still the one that begins with the fear that, when shipping cars and during a car transport, a vehicle will be damaged or destroyed. The bad news is that fear is always the incipit, because there is no magic that completely avoids the risk of something going wrong. The good news is that the hauler is a kind of superhero: he won't do miracles, but his toolbox is well made.

The secret is to start preparing the ground for him at the right time. This coincides with the appearance of the thought of buying or renting an appendix trolley. If you go along with it, it's really easy to end up with an unwieldy load. Or, again, in a desperate search for an instruction booklet that explains the causes of malfunctions. Or that guides the choice among the numerous trailers present on the market.

You need to have a good dose of trust and a device with an internet connection at your disposal. At that point, all you have to do is fill out a request for a quote, which will be followed by a proposal that will vary based on a combination of factors. These include:

• the distance to travel
• the level of urgency of the delivery
• the conditions of the vehicle to be transported
• the location of the collection and delivery locations

The superhero comes into play when the client and the company reach an agreement that is as adequate as possible to the needs of the former.

In this sense, the haulier's job begins when the company he belongs to and the customer who has chosen the service have established all the coordinates of his journey. Therefore, safety and competence are guaranteed not only by the personal preparation of the driver, but also by a series of related activities carried out by a team of professionals.

In short, it is unlikely that there will not be a happy ending.

SHIPPING VEHICLES OF ALL KIND WITH TRASAUTO LOGISTICA

In over forty years, Trasauto Logistica has seen many happy endings.

Conversations with customers prove that the story is always the one just told. The phone calls, e-mails and requests for quotes come from those who have already chosen to entrust their vehicle to a transport company, aware of the fact that this is the only real way to ship cars, worrying about the bare minimum.

Our task is to not betray expectations. To this end, the administrators and hauliers in our team are committed every day to offering a service that makes the choice of transport by car transporter truly advantageous for the customer.

In these forty years, unforeseen events have not been lacking. Even if the superhero toolbox is greatly crafted, perfection does not belong to this world. More than promising it, we prefer to continue tending to it by keeping every dialogue, goal and mistake in mind.

We like to think that this is the real fuel for our car transporters.

Our car transport service

The same special fuel has, over the years, driven our vehicles (suitable for both individual and multiple transport) on national and international routes.

Again, it doesn't matter if the vehicle to be transported is a brand-new car or a slightly dated one. We have always dealt with the shipping cars of all types, giving luxury cars and small cars the care and attention, they equally deserve.

For all transports we guarantee:

• document management (such as customs documents);
• theft and fire insurance coverage;
• competitive rates;
• vehicles equipped with satellite anti-theft devices;
• possibility of agreeing collections and deliveries;
• assistance at every stage of the shipment.

If you need to shipping cars, just fill in our contact form. Our staff will quickly prepare a detailed quote suitable for determining the amount you will have to spend in order for the transport to be completed safely and with the greatest efficiency.

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Or, for personalized assistance, you can call the offices in Italy at: +39 (0)828 1818161

or request more information also by e-mail: info@trasauto.com